Phormium ‘Sundowner’: an architectural focal-point evergreen shrub

Undoubtedly one of the most attractive and eye-catching members of the Phormium family, Phormium ‘Sundowner’ provides wonderful evergreen texture, colour and interest. A large clump-forming shrub with long sword-shaped foliage, it makes an excellent focal-point plant within a mixed planting scheme.

Predominantly bronze green in colour, P. ‘Sundowner’s’ long leaves feature bands of red, pink and orange that are thought to be reminiscent of the colours of sunset (hence the name ‘Sundowner’). It is a large shrub which can achieve heights of up to 2m in ideal conditions, and is happiest in a sunny position. It can cope with dappled shade, and a variety of different soils providing they aren’t susceptible to water-logging.

P. ‘Sundowner’ is a particularly easy plant to maintain, requiring little in the way of regular attention. Some growers may like to remove dead or damaged leaves in mid-spring to keep the plant looking more attractive, but this is not essential. In larger gardens it can be planted in eye-catching groups or drifts, but P. ‘Sundowner’ is more commonly seen as individual specimen within a lawn or a mixed border.

Excellent companion plants include Cotinus ‘Royal Purple’, Nepeta ‘Walker’s Low’ and Euphorbia wulfenii.

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Image credit: https://encyclopedia.phoenixperennials.com/plant.php?plantId=5933

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